CLD Team Leader
THIS POSITION IS NOW CLOSED
Brief Position Summary
Reporting to the General Operations Senior Director, the role of CLD Team Leader will be
responsible the discovery and development of fully human monoclonal antibody drugs. We are
looking for an experienced scientist & team leader to establish our in-house commercial cell line
development capabilities.
Primary Position Responsibilities/Tasks
- Planning, design, and delivery of stable mammalian cell lines for the expression of proteins.
- Optimise cell culture processes identify bottlenecks and implement solutions.
- Identifying and implementing novel technologies.
- Analysing and understanding data to inform on selection of best stable cell line clones for manufacture.
- Communicating both within the Cell Line Development Group and across multiple disciplines ensuring that information on work progress is relayed in a clear manner, highlighting any technical issues/opportunities and providing potential solutions.
- Setting strategic and scientific objectives for the Cell Line Development Team
- Proactive management of team performance and personal development
- Influence and draw up experimental strategies in line with business objectives and establish required infrastructure for the whole team.
- Evaluating and implementing and troubleshooting new technologies including high-throughput automated cell culture systems.
Job Specification
Essential Criteria
- PhD Degree in Life Sciences / Molecular Biology/ Biotechnology or related discipline
- At least five years experience and extensive technical background in relevant mammalian cell culture techniques e.g. generation of recombinant CHO cell lines, stable and transient transfection processes, fed-batch, static, suspension and bioreactor cultures
- Extensive experience with automation and high-throughput technologies as applied to mammalian cell line generation and process optimization (e.g. FACS, Nyone, Ambr systems, Liquid handling etc.)
- An understanding of the regulatory requirements to produce therapeutic antibodies and therapeutic non-antibody proteins.
- Good communication and organizational skills are essential with previous experience in managing CLD campaigns an advantage.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of vector design
- Author and/or review Quality and Controlled documents
- Experience developing and implementing solutions for clone screening and automation systems operated for cell line development
- Experience in line management and the lab-based supervision of junior scientists – motivating and engaging teams by providing mentorship and training to develop their skills and capabilities
- Basic protein chemistry/analytical techniques (affinity chromatography, electrophoresis, BLI
etc.) - Experience in optimising recombinant protein expression (mAbs as well as novel molecules).
- General knowledge of lab software systems including eLabBooks
Fusion Antibodies is a Contract Research Organisation (CRO) that provides a range of service in the area of antibody engineering for the development of antibodies for both therapeutic drug and diagnostic applications. Focusing on antibody generation, development, production, characterisation and optimisation, these services include antigen expression, antibody production, purification and sequencing, antibody humanisation using the Company’s proprietary CDRx™ platform and the production of antibody generating stable cell lines to provide material for use in clinical trials. Since 2012, the Company has successfully sequenced over 250 antibodies and successfully completed over 215 humanisation projects for its clients with 8 out of the first 33 humanisation projects.
Headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Company was established in 2001 as a spin out from Queen’s University. It was initially a drug development business but revised its operations to focus on CRO work in 2011. The company has over 55 employees and was listed on AIM in December 2017. The company has ambitious plans to grow with a strategy based on the expansion of its client base as well as the addition of new service offerings. This strategy uses the Company’s proven technology and expertise and targets expansion both in the UK market and internationally. Key new service offerings being developed include antibody affinity maturation and a Mammalian Antibody Library Discovery Platform which represent key future growth drivers.
Fusion is at a key value inflection point in the Company’s evolution with a key focus on expanding/driving current commercial performance and accessing additional value generating opportunities as well as launch preparations for the new service offerings. Fusion operates in a highly competitive and fast evolving market and in light of this a new position within the technical production department has presented itself due to relocation of a staff member.